A Secret Called Barakah

And we find that this is proved through ayat of the Qur'an, and through hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). Allah (swt) says: yamḥaqu Allāhu al-ribā. Ribā, interest, is one of the things that increases your money. If you are getting interest — you are taking interest — you are making more money. But Allah (swt) says: yamḥaqu Allāhu al-ribā wa yurbī al-ṣadaqāt. Subḥān Allāh.

When you are dealing with interest — this ayah is talking about the one who is taking interest — when you take interest, you are making more money. When you are giving ṣadaqah, you are losing money. But the ayah says: yamḥaqu Allāhu al-ribā wa yurbī al-ṣadaqāt — Allah (swt) destroys and decreases interest, and Allah (swt) increases and expands ṣadaqah, charity. It's the exact opposite of what we think.

Why? Because we're missing a very, very important element in wealth, and that is the issue of barakah. We think always in terms of numbers, exact numbers: two hundred dollars is more than a hundred. We are not including in the calculation the concept of barakah. Barakah is a secret that Allah (swt) puts in the money. So the one hundred dollars could not only be more than two hundred; it could be more than a thousand — because it has that secret element in it called barakah, blessing. So one dollar that has barakah could go a long way, and one dollar that does not have barakah could cause you destruction.

And we see that a lot. You see that some people are living off a small amount of money, but they're having a very blessed and pleasant life; they're happy, and they're content from the inside. And you see that somebody else has a lot, but they're living a life of misery. Why? Because barakah is missing.

So Sayyidunā Shuʿayb is telling his people: baqiyyatu Allāhi khayrun lakum in kuntum muʾminīn — that which is left by Allah for you is better for you, if you are believers — and I'm not set over you as a guardian. As a guardian — I'm not a guardian over you. You are responsible for your own dealings and transactions.